'Too perfect' drum covers?

[Rattlin' Bones]

MY OBSERVATION of PLAY ALONGS:
I asked my guitar playing brother what he was practising to. He said I am practising to Stevie Ray Vaughn.
I said Oh are you using the backing track (sans guitar) we made for our 2 man show. He said no, just playing along to the record.
He said yeah I'm getting pretty good.
I said Dude....you are always going to sound good with SRV backing you up in the mix because he is covering/masking your playing.
So I told him, I will add drums to our Backing Track and you can practise to that. No SRV help. So I made the track and sent it.
The comments by my Bro of how good he was at this song.....Ceased.
I used to play along to YES records with Bill Bruford on the headphones. I thought, wow I am pretty good.
I wasn't.
POINT-You cannot tell how good/reliable or hirable a drummer is by hearing him or her play along with a record.
The guy on the record already did the work and that playing covers up stuff.
I want to hear them as the only drummer on the track. Even better with no click help, just to see how they will be on the gig.
BUT.....THAT"S just MHO.

I don't understand this at all.

"The guy on record already did the work and that playing covers up stuff".

I don't think that's the OP's point. OP is talking about drum covers where only drummer you hear is the player covering in the YouTube video. The original drummer is removed. They sound perfect, which is his query - they sound too perfect.

And playing drums to SRV won't mask lousy drum playing it will make it apparent how lousy it is.

 

[Rattlin' Bones]

That's my feeling as well. I think a drummer's job is to be in a band. I know there are well-known amazing solo drummers, and I appreciate what they do... for about two minutes. I prefer music. Likewise, I appreciate what YouTube drummers do, but I still prefer hearing a band play.

This 1000%.

Blues band drummers for most part don't solo. They stay in pocket, do appropriate fills, remember the stops, and begin-end at same time with the band. They're not the featured instrument. Same with country. Gospel. Most top-40 oldies rock with some obvious exceptions.

I listen to the band and the ensemble sound.

Jazz is the exception. That's a huge challenge for me. That's where your chops get exposed because the veil of the band is lifted and you have to do more. You trade. The jazz combo I play with is very patient with me. They don't expect Louie Bellson. There are a lot of drummers in our area that can play jazz way better than me. It ain't even close. But I've learned how to fit in to the combo. Nobody is coming to hear me. They're coming to hear the combo.

 

[Bonnies1]

Probably not an appropriate response, but for the life of me, I don't understand why anyone plays along to covers to post on YouTube, except to monetize it. And just the concept of that is jive to me.

The things that I really really really want to hear no one can do except the artist himself. Zigaboo, Gadd, Tony Williams, Elvin, Charley Drayton, Levin Helm, Nigel Olsson, Alex Van Halen. The list is long. For the life of me, why would I listen to anybody else play that except the artist themselves ?

It literally makes no sense to me.

 

[Spreggy]

Probably not an appropriate response, but for the life of me, I don't understand why anyone plays along to covers to post on YouTube, except to monetize it.

The things that I really really really want to hear no one can do except the artist himself. Zigaboo, Gadd, Tony Williams, Elvin, Charley Drayton, Levin Helm, Nigel Olsson, Alex Van Halen. The list is long. For the life of me, why would I listen to anybody else play that except the artist themselves ?

It literally makes no sense to me.

I'm with you Jayman! I'm sure it evolved from kids posting covers to impress their friends, and someone realized there's money in it.

Also agree on wanting to see the real player. So many lesson creators out there, but I have to ask of the creator before I click, what's your gig? Where is your teaching studio? A pic of you making a face does not make you qualified, but a Grammy or two would.

I should go full circle and create reaction videos of me reacting to the stupidity of reaction videos. Maybe even an unboxing video of me unboxing the nature of people who create or watch unboxing videos. And just to prove I'm a worthy Youtube drummer, I'll react to/analyze/gasp loudly and grab my hair at the video of Vinnie playing at the Baked Potato a thousand years ago, because apparently everyone must.

 

[2 hit wonder]

Listen to Molly Hatchett's version of Dreams. If you're trying to cover their cover of the Allman's song, it's pretty long with lots of distinct parts.
I'm thankful that someone posted a video on YouTube that's pretty faithful. There's nothing technical or intricate in it.

Sometimes it's a very simple thing. I couldn't comprehehend/replicate the odd time hihat splash of Danzig's Mother after the first verse until seeing it. Damn, that was simple once I saw it.

 

[Bonnies1]

Listen to Molly Hatchett's version of Dreams. If you're trying to cover their cover of the Allman's song, it's pretty long with lots of distinct parts.
I'm thankful that someone posted a video on YouTube that's pretty faithful. There's nothing technical or intricate in it.

Sometimes it's a very simple thing. I couldn't comprehehend/replicate the odd time hihat splash of Danzig's Mother after the first verse until seeing it. Damn, that was simple once I saw it.

Yeah. I get it. But then again, I don't...

 

[2 hit wonder]

Yeah. I get it. But then again, I don't...

There's a distinction (to me) in a person posting a video as instructional or as an example of their playing like a resume to get hired in contrast to a person using the platform for monetization and never seeking a working band or majority income from students.

 

[mrmike]

Here you go:

I really have no idea but this is my guess.

Based on just watching her she is good and can play well.

The video was shot separate from the recording.

The recording was probably like most modern recordings, everything fixed and most likely snapped to grid.

 

[2 hit wonder]

I really have no idea but this is my guess.

Based on just watching her she is good and can play well.

The video was shot separate from the recording.

The recording was probably like most modern recordings, everything fixed and most likely snapped to grid.

Looks totally bogus to me.

 

[Living Dead Drummer]

100%
If you don't see them playing with other live musicians, you can't honestly see what their skill level really is.

I was actually turned down for a pretty big gig last year because I didn't have cover videos of me playing in my mom's basement.
The bands asked me for videos, and I sent them a playlist of over 100 live videos. Me, on stage with a full band in front of some pretty sizable audiences. Nope, not good enough! I was told "It's obvious you can play, but do you have anything like this?" and they sent me a video of a young girl playing alone in a room with perfectly mixed audio. I've also shared the bill with this band at festivals, so they've seen me play right in front of them before too...

 

[alparrott]

I was actually turned down for a pretty big gig last year because I didn't have cover videos of me playing in my mom's basement.
The bands asked me for videos, and I sent them a playlist of over 100 live videos. Me, on stage with a full band in front of some pretty sizable audiences. Nope, not good enough! I was told "It's obvious you can play, but do you have anything like this?" and they sent me a video of a young girl playing alone in a room with perfectly mixed audio. I've also shared the bill with this band at festivals, so they've seen me play right in front of them before too...

All I can say to this approach is...

 

[Cmdr. Ross]

I was actually turned down for a pretty big gig last year because I didn't have cover videos of me playing in my mom's basement.
The bands asked me for videos, and I sent them a playlist of over 100 live videos. Me, on stage with a full band in front of some pretty sizable audiences. Nope, not good enough! I was told "It's obvious you can play, but do you have anything like this?" and they sent me a video of a young girl playing alone in a room with perfectly mixed audio. I've also shared the bill with this band at festivals, so they've seen me play right in front of them before too...

Holy smokes!! You dodged a bullet by not taking that job!
Hey folks...if this doesn't cause your musician hair to stand up as to the future of our craft, nothing will.

This is horrible!!

 

[toddmc]

I was actually turned down for a pretty big gig last year because I didn't have cover videos of me playing in my mom's basement.
The bands asked me for videos, and I sent them a playlist of over 100 live videos. Me, on stage with a full band in front of some pretty sizable audiences. Nope, not good enough! I was told "It's obvious you can play, but do you have anything like this?" and they sent me a video of a young girl playing alone in a room with perfectly mixed audio. I've also shared the bill with this band at festivals, so they've seen me play right in front of them before too...

Well this has to be the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard- name 'em and shame 'em I say!
(And this coming from a supposedly "big, professional band")??

 

[Cmdr. Ross]

Jazz is the exception. That's a huge challenge for me. That's where your chops get exposed because the veil of the band is lifted and you have to do more. You trade. The jazz combo I play with is very patient with me. They don't expect Louie Bellson. There are a lot of drummers in our area that can play jazz way better than me. It ain't even close. But I've learned how to fit in to the combo. Nobody is coming to hear me. They're coming to hear the combo.

This was me as well many moons ago. I was just out of the Ska scene & a sax player buddy asked me if I wanted in. I told him yes (even though I've never played jazz before), and studied some greats over the weekend so I at least looked like I knew what to do.
I got the "spang-a-lang" down well enough to keep the time, but when the trading came around, I really had to dig deep in the toolbox.
I grew exponentially as a drummer in that year we were together because I knew what I needed to do and did it.

I'll always be grateful for having the confidence to say yes, & the patience of the group to not send me packing.

 

[Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX]

This was me as well many moons ago. I was just out of the Ska scene & a sax player buddy asked me if I wanted in. I told him yes (even though I've never played jazz before), and studied some greats over the weekend so I at least looked like I knew what to do.
I got the "spang-a-lang" down well enough to keep the time, but when the trading came around, I really had to dig deep in the toolbox.
I grew exponentially as a drummer in that year we were together because I knew what I needed to do and did it.

I'll always be grateful for having the confidence to say yes, & the patience of the group to not send me packing.

same with me and my current jazz group. Leader asked me if I wanted to join. I told him it had been 25 or so years since I played jazz - that was in HS - but it was the first genre I ever played as a kid.

i had to dig out some pretty rusty tools for that gig...but they are more oiled and are relics now...